Author
Topic: Superheroes Ltd (Read 31973 times)

George's mouth dropped open in outrage as the retreating backs of the suits marched out. Of all the nerve! Who the hell did those corporate bozos think they were,to just troop in like that and snatch away the staff that he and the rest of the team had wrested from Nemesis only with dire risk to their lives? The least those ingrates could have done,was thank them. But no,all their hard efforts had been rewarded with,was a nasty slur against xeo kind.

His teeth gritted,George let out a snarl. ''Want me to f@#4$ up their emotions,Perceptor?''

Logged

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

"I don't think it would do any good, Kid." Perceptor said, stubbing out another cigarette into what looked like a mother-of-pearl ashtray. "Those sorts have their emotions cauterized when they get fitted for the suits. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't bleed, or were made of bags of cow manure and sawdust wrapped in expensive suits."

Zero stared dispassionately after the sararimen as the doors swung smoothly closed."@!#$ing *******s."He turned to Arazi. "Well, that puts us back one, I guess. Bureaucrats. And to think I was actually polite to those people."At the red-haired woman's disbelieving glance, he said: "What? Even I gotta' file my xeo-registry."

"Hmmm. I guess we should of told them that he might come back looking for it. We should of. Oh well, maybe they can try to sue him."

Ace took a big heavy sigh. Combined with the look on his face, one did not need to be an empath to understand somebody's illusions have been dispelled and the cynicism of highschool just flooded in.

"So, that still leaves us without a strategy to find Ol'Buckethead. Or our only clue. " He looked around the room. Everyone was still shell shocked or annoyed beyond belief with what happened. "Unless we want to release it out to the world where it is and wait for him to reclaim it." A wry smile crosses his face, "after it leaves Corporate grounds of course... don't want to be sued or anything. " He gestured with his hand in a non communicative fashion, waving them mindlessly while he spoke, "Nah... but what other ideas do we have?"

Two beats go by. He began to smile ear to ear. "Hey, anyone want to get them busted? That staff is technically stolen merchandise or evidence in a crime. We were "on our way" to delivering it to the police when these people took it from us. It is petty I know.. but we are doing our good deed."

"That is actually one of the best ideas I have heard yet." Perceptor said with a laugh. "Reminds me of the time that Ultraman ended up stealing a nuclear sub from the military because no one believed that the captain was going to go all Red October to the North Koreans."

"I dont remember that..." Arazi said.

"Before your time and that little tale doesnt get much play time. The military brass is still in a huff over that. They dont like outsiders having to police them, especially their elite stuff." Perceptor said.

"Besides, most security in places like this is mostly intimidation and show. There really arent crack teams of combat troops, this is the real world man, not the Matrix." Spruance said, coming out of his silence for a few seconds.

So, who do we float the information too to ensure our friend will hear it? Or do we call the 10o'clock news and have them do a stand up infront of the site? Or does anyone have pull with the Tribune (insert local newspaper) to get the story out? Then once the story is out, how do we keep the police from showing up and taking it from our corpoaate friends?

Which ever way we go, where shall we hang out to wait for him to show up?

"Hey George, don't you work freelance for a paper or something?" Spruance asked. "I bet you could get a good story in there, Nemesis and all, talk about the staff being seized or whatever right? You're the journalist."

George's eyes lit up. ''Oh yeah,definitely. I know a certain man who can see to it that our dear sponsors in Cranston Corp get their names splashed on the front-page of a certain news letter. Just one phone call and those suits are going to find themselves caught in the middle of a Public Relations nightmare''.

An evil little smirk on his face,George reached into his jeans pocket for his mobile phone and dialled Old Matherson's office. The familiar gruff voice answered him. ''Hello?'' He had never been more delighted to hear the grumpy old's goat's voice,than he was now.

''Mr Matherson,I think I have finally gotten my hands on a very interesting break-through regarding the rouge xeo..''

Logged

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

"Okay, why he is doing that, let us figure out where to stake out the complex. We need a map. Do you all have one?" Ace looked about at the more conservatively dressed members of the crew.

"We will also need a plan for following the item, should they realize they have a laser dot on their forehead and decide to move the staff. If Buckethead is watching them, he will strike then. And we will strike him. Now.... where to begin..."

"I hope no one gets hurt because of this. There are alot of people who work in the building, you know secretaries and janitors and that sort." Arazi said. "If Buckethead could blow up train cars and stuff, well at least there he wasn't hurting anyone with debris and stuff."

"Your concern is touching, of course." Perceptor said. "But perhaps a little unwarranted. Anywho, lets get on with the plans, I think we can get a layout of the building pretty easy. George, any idea about what kinda story you're gonna do?" He paused.

"Ace, you wanna see about getting some tips from the old man or running through the obstacle course again? I think you'll get a better shot at Buckethead this time around."

George pursed his lips thoughtfully,as he carefully pondered his options in response to Perceptor's question. Mr.Matherson had been very excited and it would not do to let him down with an article less than sensational and shocking.

''An expose'' he finally answered. ''One that might just make xeo-kind relevant again. Pulling no punches,I will do my best to expose the attempt of a sinister corporation to conceal the existence of a dangerous super-villain capable of creating massive devastation. The common public will finally realize that only heros of old like the fabled Ultraman can be relied upon to shield them from the horrors of cities like VBC. Now that would truly be what some would call Clark Kent material''.

Logged

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

"That would be some Kent rated material. Maybe you could play up some of the stuff like the Board taking away Cranston's control of the company just because he's no longer Ultraman. The public eats that sort of Hero stuff up, don't they?" Spruance said. He gave Perceptor a dirty look as the man tore the top off a new pack of cigarettes and deposited the cellophane and paper on the floor.

"C'mon, that's why there is a cleaning crew. I'm giving people a job." Perceptor said. "Have a heart."

"I'll talk with Cranston after we lay down an initial plan. Then after you get the maps, we can get tactical on it. "

He started pointing in a general direction, which was kind of funny in a room without windows. "I was thinking we could station someone with binoculars on that tall pointy building a ways away from the complex that we pass on the way here. They can be our visual scout. "

"We can park the hovercraft in that parking structure just west of here. With it, we can get anywhere around the complex, but not in the complex, at any time. Hopefully, we can keep him pinned in one of the city canyons to eliminate escape options. The whole point of this is to pin him.

Ace, swallowed hard, "We can't hurt him easily, but we can hold him down. Eventually we can stomp him though sheer attrition. "

He clapped his hands to show he was done (and to get the other's attention), "Are we all on the same page? "

"Since I don't have a combat applicable power, I'll play the snoop on top of the building. Besides no one will complain if I smoke on the roof." Perceptor said. He flicked his lighter several times, but only produced a few feeble sparks. He shook the small plastic item a few times and tried flicking it again. "d**n, its out of fuel."

Arazi rolled her eyes and produced a flicker of flame from the end of her finger, the middle one by the way. Perceptor took the flame and lit his smoke with it, giving her a wink to compliment the finger she had given him. "If only I could do that." he said with a small chuckle.

"It's a d**n fine party trick, but it still doesnt hold up to Zero busting a six pack of beer cooling them off too quickly. He only did that a time or two before figuring out just the right way to do it." She smiled. "Cold hands hide a warm heart or so the adage goes."

"Enough, I'm going to be sick." Perceptor said. "Besides, what if I take a rifle or something, might be able to distract him, ping him when he should be concentrating. It's an idea, you know."

"A bad idea." Spruance said. "When the big boys start duking it out with xeo-blasts its time for the muggles to duck and cover. I'll coordinate from the hovercraft, or maybe we could get a helicopter. It would be faster and quieter than that rattlebox of a hovercraft."

"I'll use my security clearance to get the plans of the Tech center, I think that's where they would take it, and I know the chief of security there. We're not tight enough for him to give us an easy in, but I can see about a few details. Might be able to get him to try and 'recruit' me away from the Carravaggio Center. He's always complaining about needing more good help." Spruance said.

George cleared his throat hesitantly. Once again,he was beginning to feel like an extra chair without a use.

''I don't meant to butt in,but does anyone have a feasible suggestion for the role that I should play in this entire operation? The fact that I lack typical xeo powers is not lost on me,but my ability to modify emotions might yet again prove useful. Granted that he has demonstrated to us that he is surprisingly quick to revers any effect I unleash on his psyche,but an intruding moment of fear or uncertainty when timed precisely,might just come in very handy''.

Logged

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

"The Hovercraft is here to get everyone else close to this guy. Zero and Arazi would pile out and work on him. Our more crunchy members, like you in a protective suit, might just be in the hatch, waiting for your chance. Will we be able to arm this thing for round two? It might be nice to get him annoyed and distracted instead of pounding my face in."

"I figured you would be "close" again, just like before... in the hover craft." Ace ran his hand through his hair? Does that not work for you? "

''It works just fine'' George answered,trying his best to surpress his irritation. He didn't really appreciate the imperious tone that Ace had just used with him. Sure he had some awesome powers that was the stuff of every norm's most lush xeo fantasy. And yet,if it hadn't been for George's own more subtle and modest abilities,the kid would probably be dead. Power and authority were sure going quickly to the young aspiring Ultraman's head. If his ego got too out of hand,George wouldn't to hesitate to knock him down to size with a carefully timed large dose of fear and self-doubt .That was one of the first lessons Dr.Hoffman had thought him. Always be assertive,never let others shove you around. It was a lesson he fully intended to carry out,should the need for that arise.

Logged

“I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak.” -Bill Watterson

"We'll have firepower this time. Better than a net-gun." Spruance said. "I did some quick checking earlier and was able to clear some stuff from the security lockers. There are plenty of hardsuits, power armor for the what did you call 'em, the crunchy types? The suits work good for us norms, they kept me alive when Hellbender let go with all of her firepower."

"As for weaponry, there is the standard issue armor piercing rounds for the big guns, mostly to bust up that armor he is wearing, might slow him down a bit. We've got some other interesting stuff we can use, but we might need to be careful with it. We tried Xeo-nagating gas on Hellbender, but forgot that the stuff is flamable, so that went right back in our faces. Some of the eggheads have managed to refomulate the stuff so that it wont explode on contact with flame. It doesnt last long and it doesn't suppress xeo-power very much. It does really take a few pegs out of flight powers, but doesnt nullify them completely." Spruance said.

"See, that's the problem with all the comic books they make about us these days- @!#$ers don't even get it. I've got these powers, sure," Zero said, creating a little flurry of snowflakes, "but I'd really rather just shoot the guy than, like, throw ice cubes at him."

"Kinda like Indiana Jones, aren't we. Why use the whip, or bare knuckle fighting when you can just use a gun to take care of the goombas." Arazi said with smoldering gaze. While she wasn't opposed to the more pragmatic aspects of being a superhero, she seemed to greatly prefer the in-your-face sort of super-heroing of the old days. The old days, before the media became a bigger menace than any of the old villians...

"Well come on now, Razzi," said Zero, using a nickname he knew she hated. "Don't look at me like that. It makes me want to cool you off. I'd rather be Indiana Jones than @!#$in'... like... Flash Gordon or whatever. It's just what works, and @!#$ the public if they want to see us do magic boom-booms! We're the ones who are protecting them, they owe us."